The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Kalam tells students to aim high in life

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Thursday, May 01, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Kalam tells students to aim high in life

Staff Reporter

‘In another 10 years, India will be in a position to make use of thorium’

‘Nuclear technology per se was innocent and its use depended upon politicians’

— PHOTO:M. GOVARTHAN.

Former President A.P.J.Abdul Kalam interacts with school students at a function held in Kangeyam on Wednesday

KANGAYAM: He came, he saw, he conquered is how one has to describe former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s visit to the town on Wednesday.

‘Good thoughts’

Addressing a gathering of about 1,500 students and others, the missile man told the students to “aim high in life, have good thoughts and try hard to achieve the aim."

3 missions

He said he had had three missions in life: one was in Indian Space Research Organisation to develop the country’s space programme; two was in Defence Research Development Organisation regarding Agni missile project; and three was the implementation of Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) project.

Vision

In accomplishing the missions, Mr Kalam told the students, he learnt to have a vision, translate the vision to mission, acquire knowledge to execute the mission and finally, persevere to accomplish the mission.

Nuclear fuel

After addressing students, he then took questions from them. To a question about India’s nuclear programme, the former scientific advisor to the Defence Minister said in another 10 years, India would be in a position to make use of thorium it had in abundance as nuclear fuel.

Agriculture

On the decline in agriculture, Mr. Kalam said from 117 million hectares at present, the cultivable land would come down along with the number of farmers, which at present was 60 million.

Technological intervention

The production, however, had to be doubled from 200 to 400 million tonnes by 2020, and that was possible only through technological intervention.

High yielding varieties

He suggested technological intervention in the form of cultivating high yielding varieties.

To another question on use of nuclear energy, the former President said nuclear technology per se was innocent and its use depended upon politicians.

Uses

They could use it for power generation, radiation for cancer treatment, etc. or for making bombs.

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